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Former India captain Virat Kohli is facing heavy criticism on social media platform X after a report from The Guardian suggested that English county team Middlesex has expressed interest in signing him for the upcoming domestic season. The batting icon has retired from Tests and T20Is to focus on ODI format.

Kohli, one of the most celebrated cricketers of his generation, has never featured in English County cricket despite earlier discussions, notably in 2018 with Surrey, which fell through due to a neck injury.

Alan Coleman, Director of Cricket at Middlesex, acknowledged the club's interest, saying, "Virat Kohli is the most iconic player of his generation, so of course we are interested in having that conversation."

Virat Kohli faces backlash over rumored county stint 

While no official confirmation has come from Kohli or BCCI regarding any such move, the mere possibility of Kohli joining a county team has sparked outrage among a section of Indian fans online.

Several users on X have been trending hashtags like #NationalShameKohli, accusing Kohli of being "unpatriotic" for potentially associating with an English domestic side, even though such moves are fairly common for professional development and experience.

Some of the harshest reactions include posts like:

“Virat Kohli first moved to England. Now, he’ll soon play from London’s Middlesex County Cricket Club. #NationalShameKohli”

“Kick out @imVkohli from India...”

"Difference between nationalist and anti-nationalist.", a user said.

While another wrote, "Virat Kohli is the main culprit of WC 2015 2019 & 2023. #NationalShameKohli".

This backlash appears to stem from emotional rather than rational grounds, considering many Indian greats - including Sachin Tendulkar, Rahul Dravid, and Cheteshwar Pujara - have played county cricket in the past without controversy.

As of now, no official contract or agreement has been announced, and whether or not Kohli will join Middlesex remains to be seen.